Butterflies are teachers of magnificient and extraordinary metamorphosis, and important pollinators that fuel our imagination and curiosity. Their hovering presence honors us as they come close enough for us to catch a glimpse of their fragile beauty. We were instantly captivated by them. Once we see one, no matter how old we are, we still want to say, “Look, butterfly!”
And watching them can be beneficial to our health. Research has shown that observing wildlife and spending time in nature can have positive benefits for mental health and well-being. Mr David Attenborougha well known naturalist and TV broadcaster, says observing butterflies gives us “a precious breathing space away from the stresses and strains of modern life.”
Stephen Buckley of Mind, a mental health charity, said: “We are pleased to see Butterfly Conservation promoting the mental health benefits of being outdoors. At Mind, we’ve found that being in nature can have a powerful, grounding effect, with research showing it can be helpful relieve mental health problems like depression and anxiety.”
The concept of natural healing is a really important therapy for teenagers dealing with mental health problems. Being in nature is promoted by adolescent depression treatment centerwhere they find this sort of therapy most useful.
Butterfly watching has grown in popularity in last few years, and an more and more popular way to observe them is at exhibitions. Enjoy staying at Mackinac Island Bed and Breakfast to admire butterflies at the third oldest living butterfly exhibit in the US. Here are some fun fact to help you observe them.
Butterfly Flight
Butterfly observers can often identify a species from a distance just by noting its flight patterns. Butterflies have four wings, two on all sides of their body. The wings can move independently, allowing for a broad range of flight patterns. Some species appear to dart in all directions directly with just a few wingbeats, while others glide slowly with several wingbeats.
Sun Butterflies
Butterflies depend on external sources for body heat because they do ectothermic. They must spend time in the sun spreading their wings, early in the morning and on cooler days, raising their body temperature to about 85 degrees before they can fly. A couple of minutes of basking in the sun raises the temperature by 20 degrees.
United Butterfly
Most butterflies have several weeks to mate before they die. Males find other butterflies of the same species by sight, then determine their sex by getting close enough to detect chemical pheromones. This process often makes them look like they’re dancing on air. The female and male mate by bringing the ends of their abdomen together. Remarkably, they can stay that way for up to 12 hours so that the male is bound that no competitor is ready to fertilize his eggs. Sometimes you’ll see two butterflies seem to be stuck together as they fly because the female will be feeding. The female lays her eggs in a day or two, one after the other on the plants.
Butterfly Food
Most butterfly species drink nectar from flowers, tree sap, fruit juices, and even carrion or excrement. They feed with their proboscis, drawing food into the body. Some species have the ability to extend their life span by digesting pollen that has accumulated in the proboscis. Butterflies get the salt and other nutrients they need by bathing, an activity in which they drink from standing water or muddy places.
Good Night Butterfly
Butterflies do not really sleep, but they rest with their wings closed. The underwings are designed to provide superior camouflage, allowing them to land and appear to disappear from view — the best way to elude predators.
